Adult Mental Health

The 4th of July, for many, is a fun summer holiday with outdoor festivities, cooking, and fireworks. But for some, this time of year can be stressful. The loud, booming noises and bright colors of fireworks can trigger and overwhelm those living with sensory processing issues, often stemming from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or sensory processing disorder (SPD), to name a few.

Over the past several years humanity has learned how to become resilient in isolation. Many of our face-to-face interactions and relationships were severed during COVID and as a result, we have developed long-term habitual loneliness. So how do we recover? To state it simply, a first step is "do then feel".

I love the idea of waves of fluid pulsing through my brain as I sleep, restoring and refreshing it. This image has led me to think of other things that can also refresh, restore, and clean out my brain—wondering about ways to “spring clean” my outlook and to release my grip on unneeded waste.

We started the Dear Dr. Michelle advice column at the height of COVID as an additional way to provide free, accessible help to those who may need it while navigating our new environment. As we transition back to pre-pandemic days, our Dear Dr. Michelle column is coming to a close. As a final hurrah, we wanted to share a list of our top ten most visited advice articles over the past two and half years.

In this month of love and romance, we often forget one of the most important kinds of love – loving yourself. We share some tips and tricks on how to help build your self-esteem and learn to love yourself.   

Practicing positive self-talk can be incredibly helpful in growing your self-esteem. Matthew Talmadge, Outpatient Services Clinical Supervisor at Nexus-Gerard Family Healing, narrates a few daily affirmations. Take a listen.

I have had to break up with my best friend. She was not able to listen to my feelings about things in the friendship. She also stopped spending time with me like we used to and would never tell me why. I feel sad and hurt and am in a deep depression I am struggling to get out of. I blame myself. I will still have to see her on occasion. How can I get out of this deep depression and deal with times I may have to see her?

Making new friends is hard, especially as an adult with the added layer of living in a new city. But finding those connections are so important for our mental health and well-being, as friendships help us find a sense of belonging, boost our happiness, and can help build our self-esteem. Here are a few tips on how to create new relationships in a new community. 

This time of year, many people find themselves setting resolutions for different aspects of their lives, including goals related to improving their mental health. By following a few key strategies, you can increase your chances of success and make meaningful progress towards better mental health in this next year.

It’s that time of year when all I hear about is self-improvement and New Year’s resolutions. I’d love to get on board, but for me, getting out of bed is a challenge this time of year. I feel like I set self-improvement goals, fail to meet them, and then I feel terrible about myself. Any advice?